This document provides an overview of basic computer hardware and how computers work. It describes the main internal and external components of a computer including the monitor, CPU, disk drives, memory, motherboard, sound and video cards, power supply, network interface card, and BIOS chip. It explains the functions of these key parts and how information is input, processed, and output in a computer system.

1. Creative Learning&
Applied Programming
Computer Basics
HARDWARE

2. Look at this picture of a
computer. A computer is
made up of many parts.
Let’s explore the parts
to see if you know what
they are called!

3. The Monitor
The monitor looks
like a TV and lets
lets you see your
work and your
files.

4. The CPU
CPU stands for “Central
Processing Unit”. They
contain the brains of the
computer. They can be
desktop models that the
monitor sits on top of, or
tower models that stand up
tall.

5. Floppy Disk Drive
The CPU has places to insert disks. One
kind of disk drive is a floppy disk drive.
A floppy disk drive reads information
from a very thin, floppy disk inside a hard
plastic case. Floppy disks can hold up to
1.44 megabytes of information.

6. CD-ROM Disk Drive
CD-ROM stands for Compact
Disk-Read Only Memory. They
are flat, shiny disks that store
information. Most new
computers have CD-RW drives.
CD-RW stands for Compact
Disk-ReWrite. This type of
disk allows you to write
information to it, as well as
read from it. Most can hold up
to 700 megabytes of
information.

7. DVD Drive/Burner
The newest computers come with the
option of a DVD drive. A DVD (Digital
Video Disc) looks just like a CD, but holds
much more information! They can store 4.7
gigabytes of data!

8. Flash /USB /Pen Drive
A Flash Drive is a
relatively new storage
device. It’s like a mini,
portable hard drive!
You plug it into the
USB (Universal Serial
Bus) port on the front
of newer computers
and you can save to it!

9. How Do Computers Work?
KeyBoard,Mouse,
Input--This is when information is entered Scanner,
into a computer. Some common input devices Tabletpen
include the keyboard, mouse and scanner.
Processing--This is when the information CPU
is handled by the computer’s brain, known as the
Processor Chip
CPU (Central Processing Unit). INTEL,MOTOROLA
Output--This is the information that comes
out of a computer after it has been processed.
The information comes out on output devices Moniter,Printer,
such as a printer or computer monitor. Speakers

10. Input Devices
MOUSE
SCANNER
KEYBOARD

11. Computer Processing
Once information has been sent to a
computer by one of the input devices
it’s processed. The computer uses it’s
brain to process the information. The
computer’s brain is called the CPU, or
Central Processing Unit.

12. The CPU is also
called the
microprocessor. The
word “micro” means
small. Since the CPU
is located on a small
computer chip about
1 inch square, that
makes sense!

13. Output Devices
Moniter Printer Speakers

14. Speakers
Speakers can be connected to your
computer so you can hear very realistic
sound effects and wonderful music. Some
computer monitors come with built in
speakers.

15. Printers
One output device is a printer. Once a
computer user has created something on
the computer, such as a story, he can
send it to the printer. The printer
prints exactly what’s on the screen.

16. Two Common Types of Printers
An inkjet printer usually prints in
color. It prints by squirting out
small dots of ink onto the paper.
A laser printer uses a laser beam to
create an image that is transferred
to paper. It uses toner and a drum.
The ink is powder.

17. Random Access Memory
When a computer
processes information, it
uses software programs.
Each program requires a
certain amount of
electronic memory, or
RAM (Random Access
Memory) to run correctly.

18. Read-Only Memory
A second kind of computer memory is
ROM, which stands for Read-Only
Memory. This memory is permanent.
The information there was put there
when the computer was made. The
computer needs the information in
it’s ROM memory in order to
function.

19. What are all those parts inside my
computer and what do they do???

20. Computer Hardware
Hard Drive
Motherboard
Sound Card and Video Card
Memory Card
Power Supply
NIC Card
BIOS

21. Hard Disk Drive
The Hard Disk Drive is a magnetic storage
device. All the computer programs and files
you create and save are located there. This is
permanent storage (at least until you uninstall
software or delete a file). The hard drive is
normally signified by the drive letter “C”.
Today’s hard drives can store a HUGE amount
of information. A new computer might have a
hard drive that will hold 250 GB’s!

22. Inside the Hard Disk Drive
case you’ll find circular disks
that are made of steel. On
the disks, there are many
tracks, or cylinders. An
electronic reading device
called the head passes back
and forth over the
cylinders, reading
information from the disk or
writing to it.

23. Hard Disk Drives use
Magnetic Recording
Techniques. The magnetic
medium can be easily
erased and rewritten and
will “remember” the
magnetic flux patterns
stored on it for many
years!

24. Hard Disk Drives can spin at 7200 or more
rpm’s (Revolutions Per Minute). That means in
one minute, the hard drive spins around more
than 7200 times!

25. The Motherboard

26. Your computer couldn’t work without the
motherboard. It ties everything together! It
allows every part of your computer to receive
power and communicate with each other.
Everything that runs the computer or enhances
it’s performance is either part of the
motherboard or plugs into one of it’s expansion
slots or ports.

27. Sound and Video Cards
Sound and Video Cards are Output
Devices. They contain special
circuits that allow your computer to
play sounds and display graphics on
your monitor.

28. Memory Card
Remember RAM (Random Access Memory)
and ROM (Read-Only Memory)?
RAM cards will remember what you tell them
and can even change to remember new
information. But, when the computer is turned
off, it forgets everything you did! That’s why
you always save your work!
ROM is good at remembering, but cannot change
it’s mind. It holds the information that was
built into it!

29. Power Supply
If there is any one component that is absolutely
vital to the operation of a computer, it is the
power supply! Without it, a computer is just a
box full of plastic and metal. The power supply
converts the alternating current (AC) line from
your home or school to the direct current (DC)
needed by the computer.

30. You can see the power
supply from the back
of your computer
because of the power
cord and the cooling
fan.
Computers put out a
LOT of heat and need
the fan to keep them
from overheating.

31. Network Interface Card
A NIC card (Network
Interface Card) allows
your computer to talk to
other computers! A
cable called Cat5 is
plugged into the NIC
card and your computer
can then be attached to
a network and be on the
internet!

32. BIOS CHIP
A BIOS chip (Basic Input
Output System) is a very
important computer
component. In simple
terms, the BIOS chip
wakes up the computer
when you turn it on and
reminds it what parts it
has and what they do!

33. Just the beginning…..
We just touched on the very basics with
this presentation! There is so much more
to understanding computers. There are
books that are thousands of pages long
that explain how they work in great
detail. But now maybe you understand
them more than you did before and you’ll
want to keep learning.
Keep computing!